Plenty to smile about at Hops and Pie this week (that’s bartender Adam Del Re, photo by Grant Hindsley, The Denver Post).

We launched our blog post tracking this year’s GABF Week happenings way back on August 10 when word of planned events first started trickling in. (Oskar Blues Ordeal, has it been that long?). Since then, the post has kept growing and growing, testing the very limits of the Internet.

The task of deciding what to hit this week can be daunting. So we’ve compiled a list of our picks – the tappings, dinners and tours that sound most intriguing.

BEERS MADE BY WALKING
Eric Steen’s clever Beers Made by Walking project invites brewers to find inspiration in natural surroundings. At this event, out-of-staters and locals alike will get to sample one-of-a-kind beers from 17 Colorado breweries that accepted Steen’s challenge to take a hike and come up with specialty beers inspired by edible and medicinal plants on the trail. We heard great things about last year’s debut Beers Made by Walking tasting. Tickets are $30 for unlimited sampling and are available for purchase here.5 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Wynkoop Brewing, 1634 18th St., Denver

Rackhouse has lots going on GABF Week (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

SENSORY TRAINING 101 AT RACKHOUSE PUB
The whiskey, beer and food joint attached to the Stranahan’s distillery has a lot going on this week, with a special emphasis on education. This evening’s Beer School guest lecturer is Scott Kerkmans, one of the first certified cicerones, a lead judge at GABF and creator of Colorado Craft Beer Week. Kerkmans will cover palate development, flavor recognition, style guidelines and overall beer enjoyment. Tickets are $35 each plus fees, available here.6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Rackhouse Pub, 208 S Kalamath St, Denver, CO

OSKAR BLUES ORDEAL
For the third year, one of the state’s leading breweries offers behind-the-scenes looks of its growing empire, including brewery tours, chow and beer at its restaurants and visits to the innovative Hops and Heifers Farm. Transportation is part of the (or)deal: Buses pick you up and drop you off at Falling Rock Tap House in Denver. This is a day-long affair and thus big time commitment but it has gotten great reviews. Friday’s Ordeal is sold out but tickets remain for Wednesday ($100) and Thursday ($75).Thursday and Friday, pickup and dropoff at Falling Rock Tap House

UP-AND-COMERS AT HOPS AND PIE
Miss out on tickets to Crooked Stave’s WTF!? Fest? Here’s a chance to check out a few breweries on the bill at Hops and Pie in northwest Denver. Along with Crooked Stave, tappings from Jester King of Austin, Texas, St. Louis-based Perennial Brewing, Jolly Pumpkin of Dexter, Michigan and Prairie Artisan Ales of Tulsa.11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Hops and Pie, 3920 Tennyson St, Denver, CO 80212

GYSPY BREWERIES AND HEAVY METAL AT STAR BAR
Star Bar has kicked it up a notch with its GABF Week 2013 lineup. The dive bar turned craft beer bar (well, it still feels divey) got its hands on numerous kegs from a couple of stellar gypsy breweries now distributing in Colorado – Evil Twin and Stillwater Artisanal Ales. Also on tap will be the “Hell Patrol” (Judas Priest!) collaboration between Denver’s TRVE Brewing and Ninkasi out of Oregon, which we wrote about here.Noon Wednesday, Star Bar, 2137 Larimer St, Denver

UPSLOPE/FRESHCRAFT COLLABORATION TAPPING
We saw Hops and Pie pull off a barrel-aged collaboration with a handful of local breweries earlier this year, and now the downtown Denver beer bar Freshcraft is jumping into the fray. Boulder-based Upslope and Freshcraft will be tapping an oatmeal brown ale aged for roughly six months in an Appleton Estate rum barrel. Also on tap will be Upslope’s Pumpkin Ale, Imperial IPA, both well worth drinking.7 p.m.-2 a.m. Wednesday, Freshcraft, 1530 Blake St, Denver

DESCHUTES PRE-GABF 25TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT EUCLID HALL
The restaurant and beer bar just off Larimer Square kills it GABF Week, as evidenced by the long list of sold-out events (Leopold Brothers/Firestone Walker Collaboration Dinner, Avery Midnight Breakfast, Sour Beer Symposium …) Tickets still remain for the Deschutes bash, which includes fanciful pairings such as lime and coconut snow-cones paired with The Abyss Imperial Stout. Tickets are $65 for all you can eat and drink, or tickets for individual tastings available. Throughout GABF week expect many treasures to appear on the menu as Euclid Hall welcomes some of the nation’s most discerning beer drinkers.Noon-5 p.m., Wednesday, Euclid Hall, 1317 14th St, Denver

EPIC BREWING’S FIRST 50 FIRKIN FIASCO
Salt Lake City-based Epic Brewing showcases 50 unique cask ales in its new Denver tap room, which opened late last month in a huge, airy space in the River North neighborhood. Open to the public, so just show up. Or pay $55 for a VIP pass granting access to all 50 firkins, a gift bag and a food voucher. A pretty good place to spend some time before heading over to the hall for the first GABF session.3-10 p.m. Thursday, Epic Brewing, 3001 Walnut St. Denver

Matt Hess presides over the bar at River North (Seth A. McConnell, The Denver Post).

BEER, CHEESE AND ENLIGHTENMENT WITH RIVER NORTH BREWERY AT STAPLETON TAP HOUSE
If you’re not going to GABF Session 1, consider joining River North founder Matt Hess and cheese expert Devin Lamma of Whole Foods in Cherry Creek for six pairings of beer and cheese, including a barrel-aged brew. Tickets are $35 ($45 at the door) and include glassware, beer specials and snacks. For sale at both River North and the local-focused tap house that opened this year in Stapleton’s Northfield development.7-9 p.m. Thursday, Stapleton Tap House, 8286 Northfield Blvd #1525, Denver

WINDY CITY BREWS AT FALLING ROCK
Just added! Three great breweries from Chicago are bringing a keg to Denver’s granddaddy of all beer beers. Check out Revolution, Half Acre and Solemn Oath.9:30 p.m. Friday, Falling Rock

BRUERY BREAKFAST AT CHEEKY MONK
A popular place to begin the day before heading over to the GABF awards and the Saturday afternoon session … Patrick Rue from The Bruery will bring a few taps and usually pops open a few bottles too. No online tickets, but reservations are available by calling (303) 861-0347. Or just show up – if you can wake up.8 a.m. Saturday, Cheeky Monk, 534 E Colfax Ave, Denver

BEER ADVOCATE SPECIAL RELEASE PARTY
The guys from Beer Advocate and Star Bar team up with some buzz-worthy breweries pouring – Crooked Stave (including newly released Origins Burgundy Sour and L’brett D’or), Perfect Crime, Local Option, Prairie and Perennial.2 p.m. Saturday, Star Bar

Our new iPad app serves as a guide to metro Denver’s bountiful breweries, beer bars and bottle shops, the holy trinity of craft beer enjoyment for followers and fans. Download the app for iPad .
Next time you head for a beer in Boulder, don’t forget your friend, Beers of Boulder and Boulder County, an iPad app from the Daily Camera. Download the app for iPad .

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In Colorado, our pint glasses overflow with excellent beer. New breweries, new batches, festivals every other week. How lucky are we? First Drafts is The Denver Post's beer blog aimed at helping you keep tabs on the state's ever-expanding craft beer culture. We offer a mash of news, event coverage, homegrown stories, tasting notes and tips to help you imbibe. Expert drinker or homebrewer? Let us know what you're loving about Colorado's beer scene. Not sure exactly what a firkin is? No worries, let us be your guide. Go ahead. Belly up and drink it in!